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पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति । तदहं भक्त्युपहृतमश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः patraṃ puṣpaṃ phalaṃ toyaṃ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati tadahaṃ bhaktyupahṛtamaśnāmi prayatātmanaḥ Lord Krishna says - Whoever offers Me with a pure mind and devotion - a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or water, I delightfully partake of that. (Bhagavad Gita – Chapter 9, 26th Verse) The Bhagavad Gita, also known as “The Song of God” is a sacred Hindu text that is part of the ancient epic poem, the Mahabharata. It is considered one of the most important and influential texts in Hinduism and is revered by millions of Hindus around the world. True to Lord Krishna’s words in the Bhagavad Gita, love is the basis of all miracles. He accepts everything in love and blesses His devotees manifold. Sanatana Dharma is a witness to plenty of miraculous stories. Miracles are His way to reciprocate our love and strengthen our faith in Him. Once upon a blessed time in Dvapara Yuga It was a beautiful day in the holy land of Gokul. Kamsa was an evil king who reigned over the Earth and created havoc among citizens. Even innocent children were prey to his evil deeds and killings. According to legend, Kamsa was told by a prophecy that he would be killed by the eighth son of his sister, Devaki. Out of fear, Kamsa imprisoned Devaki and her husband Vasudeva and killed their first six children as soon as they were born. The seventh child, Balarama, was secretly transferred to the womb of another woman, Rohini. However, Kamsa knew that the eighth child, Krishna, was secretly transported to Gokul by Vasudeva as soon as He was born. Kamsa vowed to kill Krishna and sent Putana (a demoness) to Gokul. Putana disguised herself as a beautiful woman and set out on her task. However, she did not know who among the newborns was Krishna; she wanted to leave no stone unturned, either. So she went to every single home in Gokul where there was a newborn and fed them her poisoned breast milk. Finally, she reached Krishna’s place and gave her poisoned milk to baby Krishna. Krishna, however, knew Putana's true intentions and suckled from her breast, drawing out not just her milk but her own prana - her life force. As Putana died, she reverted to her ferocious demoness form, which extended for miles. The people of Gokul were amazed to see the lifeless body of Putana lying there, and they praised Lord Krishna for saving their lives. It is said that Putana's death marked the beginning of Krishna's triumph over evil forces in the world. This is one of the best-loved miraculous stories of Lord Krishna recorded in Hindu mythology. Who is Lord Krishna? Lord Krishna is one of the most revered deities in Sanatana Dharma. He is the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu. He is known for His miraculous deeds. These miracles are recorded in various holy scriptures, such as the Bhagavata Purana, Mahabharata, Harivamsa, Brahma Vaivarta Purana and Vishnu Purana. The name ‘Krishna’ means all-attractive. He is a Purna Avatar (complete avatar in all aspects) with 16 Kalas (divine attributes) which are: • Daya – Compassion • Dhairya – Valour and Patience • Kshama - Forgiveness • Nyaya – Justice • Nirapeksha – Impartiality • Niraskata – Detachment • Tapasya – Meditation and Spiritual Powers • Aparchitta – Invincibility • Danasheel – Bestower of all wealth in the world and nature • Saundaryamaya – Beauty incarnate • Nrityajna – Perfect dancer • Sangitajna – Perfect singer • Neetivadi – Embodiment of honesty • Satyavadi – Embodiment of Truth • Sarvagnata – Perfect master of all arts, such as poetry, drama, painting and so on • Sarvaniyanta – Controller of all. Beloved Lord Krishna is lovingly known as Leeladhar, the One who performs pastimes and miracles. Since He is the ever-existing, ever-youthful and ever-compassionate Lord, His tales of miracles also have no beginning or end. Every story of Beloved Krishna has an esoteric meaning and answers the questions of human existence and beyond. Through stories of miracles, Lord Krishna delivers teachings to the whole creation. Love is the shortest route to understanding God. Bhakti Yoga (the path of devotion) is one of the most beautiful paths to serve Lord Krishna. By doing so, a devotee can easily find bliss. Without further ado, let us explore some of the best-loved miraculous stories of our Lord Krishna and find insights into the big questions. 1) Lord Krishna and Mother Yashoda – Vision of the Universal Form Once, as baby Lord Krishna was playing with His cowherd friends, He picked up a handful of mud and put it in his mouth. His friends were shocked and complained to His Mother, Yashoda. Pretending to be an ordinary child, Lord Krishna lied to Mother Yashoda that no such thing happened. Yashoda scolded the Lord and asked him to open His mouth. Lord Krishna did as instructed, out of maternal love. Within the Lord’s mouth, Yashoda saw the complete opulence of creation. She saw the entire universe in unlimited forms and directions. Everything beyond comprehension was present within the Lord - the three qualities of material nature (modes of goodness, passion and ignorance), living and non-living entities, eternal time, material nature, spiritual nature, consciousness and other forms of creation. Lastly, she also saw herself playing with Lord Krishna. Upon seeing a snapshot of the whole miracle of creation, she became awestruck and wondered if she was dreaming or witnessing the play of God Himself. Unable to maintain composure, Yashoda fainted. The ever-compassionate Krishna expanded His internal energy and bewildered her with maternal affection. Once again, Yashoda regained her consciousness and treated Him as her child. The esoteric meaning of this story is that it represents the Divine Nature of Lord Krishna. Mud is considered impure and unclean, but it symbolises His ability to take on impurities and sins of the world and transform them into purity and divinity. It also represents His ability to see beyond the physical form and recognise the divine consciousness in all things. 2) Lord Krishna blesses Sudama – What does a fistful of love give? Sudama was a poor Brahmin who lived in a village with his family. He studied with Lord Krishna in childhood under Sandipani Muni (sage). Sudama was on the verge of starvation. Hence his wife suggested meeting Krishna for help. She borrowed a fistful of chipped rice from her neighbour and packed it for Lord Krishna. Sudama set off to meet the Lord in Dwarka. The Lord recognised Sudama immediately and greeted him with warmth and affection. Sudama was amazed by the luxurious palace and the opulence of Lord Krishna's lifestyle. His chipped rice suddenly felt too small. Though Sudama was hesitant to give the chipped rice, Lord Krishna snatched it and began to eat it. Despite his poverty, Sudama did not ask for Lord Krishna's help but was so happy to meet Him. The Lord, in turn, was touched by Sudama's devotion and sincerity. When Sudama returned home, he found that his poverty had been transformed into prosperity. His small hut had been replaced with a large mansion. His family was now living a life of comfort and abundance. The miraculous story of how Krishna transformed a fistful of chipped rice into opulence shows the power of true devotion and humility. This story also proves that a devotee’s purity can melt God’s heart. 3) Lord Krishna protects Draupadi – A story of complete surrender Once, the Pandavas were invited to a game of dice with their cousins, the Kauravas. As the game of dice began, the Pandavas started losing all their possessions, including themselves. The wicked Shakuni (maternal uncle of the Kauravas) challenged Yudhisthira (the eldest of Pandavas) to stake Draupadi (wife of Pandavas) to win back what he had lost. Helplessly, Yudhisthira staked Draupadi and eventually lost the game. Draupadi was dragged into the court by the Kauravas to be publicly disrobed. She was humiliated and cried out to Lord Krishna for help, her hands raised in complete surrender. Lord Krishna miraculously appeared and asked her to hold on to His cloth. As the Kauravas tried to disrobe Draupadi, Lord Krishna kept extending His clothes to her. This made it impossible for the Kauravas to uncover her. The Kauravas continued their attempts to disrobe Draupadi, but Lord Krishna's clothes kept extending and covering her, providing her infinite protection. The Kauravas eventually gave up. Thus, Draupadi was saved from humiliation and harm. The story of Lord Krishna protecting Draupadi teaches us the power of devotion, surrender and faith. It also shows us that Lord Krishna is always ready to protect His devotees, even in the most challenging and difficult situations. He is always there for us when we raise our arms in complete surrender. 4) Lord Krishna and Kubja – What is devotion capable of? Mathura is a city located in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is situated on the banks of the Yamuna River and is considered one of India's oldest and most sacred cities. It was the birthplace of Lord Krishna. When Lord Krishna visited the city of Mathura, He encountered a hunchbacked woman named Kubja. Kubja was very happy to see Lord Krishna and asked Him to accept her as His devotee. Lord Krishna was pleased with her devotion and agreed to visit her home. When Lord Krishna arrived at Kubja's house, she greeted Him with great respect and offered Him sandalwood paste and perfumes. Lord Krishna asked her what she wanted, and she requested that He bless her with a beautiful and attractive form. Lord Krishna then stood on a stone and asked Kubja to hold His feet and press them against her forehead. As Kubja did so, Lord Krishna's weight pushed her back, and her hunchback disappeared. Miraculously, she became a beautiful woman with a lovely figure and complexion. Overwhelmed with gratitude, Kubja offered Lord Krishna flowers and prayed to him. Lord Krishna blessed her and left for His abode. This story shows how devotion can transform anyone’s life. Kubja's devotion to Lord Krishna was so intense that it changed her physical form, and she was blessed with a new and beautiful life. For Lord Krishna, the inner beauty of Kubja and her devotion mattered more. Hence, He was able to bless her accordingly. Her true inner nature was dear to Krishna. This shows the importance of looking beyond external appearances and loving the Lord internally. 5) Lord Krishna and Akshaya Patra – A story of selflessness When Pandavas were in exile, Yudhisthira prayed to Surya Bhagwan for help. Lord Surya granted him the Akshaya Patra, a vessel that would give unlimited food every day until Draupadi (the wife of Pandavas) had finished eating. The Pandavas used the Akshaya Patra to feed themselves and anyone who came to them hungry during their exile. The vessel never ran out of food and always had enough to feed everyone. Duryodhana (one of the evil cousins) could not tolerate this and hatched a plan. Duryodhana invited Sage Durvasa (known for his short temper) to his palace and fed him sumptuously. Pleased with the hospitality, the sage granted him a boon. Duryodhana asked the sage and his disciples to visit the Pandavas in the forest. But, by the time the sage reached the forest, Draupadi had already eaten - the Akshaya Patra had stopped giving food for the day. Fearing the sage’s temper, Draupadi prayed to Lord Krishna for help. Miraculously Krishna was travelling to the forest too. He met the Pandavas. Sensing the trouble, Krishna asked Draupadi to bring the Akshaya Patra. He took a lone grain of rice and a speck of vegetable in the vessel and announced that He was satisfied with the meal. Suddenly, Sage Durvasa and his disciples began to feel their stomachs full and found themselves surprisingly completely satisfied. Lord Krishna's blessing of the Akshaya Patra symbolises the infinite potential of selfless giving and the idea that when we give with an open heart, our resources will never run out. If the Lord of the Universe is satisfied, then the Creation is satisfied. These stories don’t end here. Since Sri Hari is infinite, His Glories and His stories are also infinite. A steady and sincere practice of studying and internalising the Vedic stories in our scriptures will help us understand the practical lessons behind Lord Krishna’s miracles. The Lord has ways of showing up to those who worship Him – it is a combination of His Grace and the readiness of the devotees to see Him perform miracles. His miracles don’t end. Rather, they indicate the possibility to love more and give more to Creation. His blessing is the beginning of His endless miracles. All Glories to Sri Krishna! 1. The Bhagavad Gita is a dialogue between the warrior prince Arjuna and his charioteer, Lord Krishna, who is an incarnation of the Hindu god, Vishnu. The conversation occurs on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, where Arjuna is about to engage in a war against his kinsmen. 2. The term "Sanatana Dharma" is derived from two Sanskrit words: "Sanatana" meaning eternal, and "Dharma" meaning duty, righteous conduct, or virtue). 3. Gokul is a town located in the Mathura district of the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is the place where Lord Krishna spent his childhood. 4. The term "avatar" refers to the incarnation of a deity or divine being in human or other earthly form in the sacred texts of Sanatana Dharma. It is believed that God takes on various forms or avatars to guide and protect humanity and restore balance in the Universe. 5. The five brothers, Pandavas ( Yudhishthira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva) were the central characters of the ancient Indian epic, the Mahabharata. They were the sons of King Pandu, and their mothers were Kunti and Madri. 6. The Kauravas were a clan of the Indian epic Mahabharata, who were the primary antagonists in the story. They were a hundred sons of Dhritarashtra, the king of Hastinapura, and his wife Gandhari, and they were led by their eldest brother Duryodhana.